(Bloomberg) — General Motors Co. has retainedcrisis-communications expert Jeff Eller as it builds a team to helprespond to the recall small cars with faulty ignition switches tiedto 13 deaths.

Greg Martin, a spokesman for the Detroit-based company,confirmed that Eller will join the team guiding the automaker'sresponse to the recall. Eller had been director of media affairs inthe Clinton White House, according to his LinkedIn page.

“As we have from the start, we are drawing upon those who havedeep experience and expertise in these matters,” Martin said in ane-mail today.

Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra fielded pointed questions andaccusations yesterday from U.S. senators during a panel holding ahearing into why it took the company so long to recall 2.59 millionsmall cars with potentially faulty parts. One senator said GM had a“culture of coverup” and another predicted it may face criminalliability.

Barra also announced this week that GM hired Kenneth Feinberg,the lawyer who managed funds for victims of the Sept. 11, 2001,terrorist attacks, to consider whether to compensate victims of thecrashes. GM has also hired Jenner & Block LLC Chairman AntonValukas, who prepared the report on the bankruptcy of LehmanBrother Holding, to co-lead the internal investigation of who knowwhat, when, about the ignition flaws.

Copyright 2018 Bloomberg. All rightsreserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten,or redistributed.